Arlington, VA – This week, the U.S. Trade and Development Agency welcomed Kenya as its 14th partner under the Global Procurement Initiative (GPI): Understanding Best Value. Under this partnership, USTDA will train public procurement officials to obtain the greatest value for money for Kenya’s public infrastructure investments. Kenya’s induction into the GPI was formalized through the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between USTDA and the National Treasury and Planning Ministry of the Republic of Kenya (NT&P).
“USTDA has a long history of engagement with Kenya. Our GPI partnership builds on this foundation to support the country’s efforts to ensure fair, transparent procurements and increased international competition for its public tenders,” said Enoh T. Ebong, USTDA’s Acting Director. “This will lead to higher-quality and more resilient infrastructure for the people of Kenya. We are excited about the positive transformations that the GPI will facilitate.”
Under the partnership, USTDA will lead trainings in the United States, Kenya and virtually on international best practices and the integration of best value methodologies in public procurement. The trainings will be carried out in coordination with the George Washington University Law School’s Government Procurement Law program and U.S. expert practitioners with procurement experience in government, the private sector, and higher education. The training will deepen Kenya’s workforce professionalization and use of fair, transparent value-based procurement methodology. Priority subjects will include public-private partnerships and sector-specific procurement related to energy, and information and communications technology.
National Treasury Cabinet Secretary Ukur Yatani stated, “The National Treasury has worked hard in recent years to strengthen and improve Kenya’s laws and regulations governing its public procurement framework. Joining hands with USTDA will propel the procurement modernization process forward, and in tandem, enhance our continued close collaboration with the U.S. on economic development and transparency.”
Eric Kneedler, Chargé d’Affaires at the U.S. Embassy in Nairobi said, “Today we formalized this partnership between USTDA and the Government of Kenya’s National Treasury and Planning Ministry.” He added, “I strongly believe this partnership will advance policies, consistent with international best practices, that integrate life-cycle cost analysis and best-value determination into procurement processes, culminating in smarter, longer-term investments with overall savings to the Government of Kenya.”
Launched in 2013, USTDA’s Global Procurement Initiative: Understanding Best Value is dedicated to assisting public officials in emerging economies to better understand the total cost of ownership of goods and services for infrastructure projects. The Initiative now includes 14 partner countries.
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The U.S. Trade and Development Agency helps companies create U.S. jobs through the export of U.S. goods and services for priority infrastructure projects in emerging economies. USTDA links U.S. businesses to export opportunities by funding project preparation and partnership building activities that develop sustainable infrastructure and foster economic growth in partner countries.
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